UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Head men's hockey coach Guy Gadowsky on Tuesday (July 17) announced the additions of a head strength & conditioning coach, equipment manager and athletic trainer who come to Penn State with more than 20 combined years of professional experience in the NHL and NFL.
Strength & conditioning coach veteran Robert McLean, who worked with the Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils, joins the Penn State hockey program as head strength & conditioning coach, while Adam Sheehan comes to Penn State as head equipment manager after serving with the Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings and Phoenix Coyotes. In addition, Justin Rogers, who worked with the Chicago Bears, will serve as the team's athletic trainer.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Robert, Adam and Justin to the Penn State Hockey family. Robert and Adam bring a wealth of NHL experience to Penn State and their skill sets and vast knowledge will have a positive impact on our student-athletes," said Gadowsky. "In addition, Justin will be a tremendous asset as our athletic trainer after working with the Chicago Bears and Michigan State's hockey team. All three are 'hockey guys' who understand the culture and what it takes to be successful. I feel great about the quality of our entire staff."
With more than nine years of NHL experience in various capacities, McLean spent the past two seasons as head strength & conditioning coach with the Colorado Avalanche (2010-12). Prior to Colorado, McLean served as head strength & conditioning specialist for BRS Sports for two years and also worked as a strength & conditioning specialist with High Performance Specialists from 1999-2000.
McLean also served on the equipment staffs for the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils in 1996 and 2000, respectively. He holds certification as a strength and conditioning specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Rogers comes to Penn State after spending the past two years as a graduate assistant football athletic trainer with the University of Nebraska. Prior to working with Nebraska, Rogers worked on the Chicago Bears athletic training staff during the 2009 season. A 2009 Michigan State graduate, he worked as an athletic training student for the men's hockey team and also provided services to other sports programs at the school.
A fixture in NHL locker rooms for 13 years, Sheehan spent the past four seasons (2008-12) as an assistant equipment manager with the Detroit Red Wings. In addition to his time with Detroit, Sheehan spent two stints as an equipment assistant with the Phoenix Coyotes (1998-2003, 2005-08) and also served in the same capacity with the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2003-04 campaign. In 2004-05, he worked as the head equipment manager for Sacred Heart's men's and women's hockey teams.
The 2012-13 season will mark the Nittany Lions' first-ever campaign at the NCAA Division I level. Penn State, which previously sponsored varsity hockey from 1940-47, will play 27 games against NCAA opponents in its first season of varsity hockey in more than 65 years.
ADDITIONAL POSITIONS ANNOUNCED
Head coach Guy Gadowsky also announced an expanded role for director of hockey operations Bill Downey and the addition of Josh Hand as volunteer assistant coach for the 2012-13 season.
Downey, who served as director of hockey operations in 2011-12, will add video coaching responsibilities beginning in 2012-13. The Pittsburgh native came to Penn State following a year as director of hockey operations at Harvard in 2010-11. A former professional hockey player and coach, Downey graduated from Penn State in 2004 and was a four-year member of the University's club hockey team.
Hand served as volunteer assistant coach of Penn State's top club team in 2011-12 and was an assistant coach for the team during the 2010-11 campaign. From 2008-10, he served as an assistant coach and hockey director for Texas A&M's club hockey team. A 2008 graduate of Concordia, Hand played men's hockey and football and was as Dallas Stars rookie camp attendee.